Acid Blockers Linked to Mental Decline
H2 Blockers May Raise Risk of Age-Related Cognitive Impairment
Long-Term Use of H2 Blockers continued...
It's not clear why H2 blockers might interfere with brain function. The drugs affect histamine, part of the brain's normal signaling functions. However, Boustani found no similar effect for antihistamineallergy drugs.
It's also possible that by blocking stomach acid, H2 blockers interfere with the absorption of vitamin B-12, which is important for mental function.
Whatever the mechanism, Duffy says H2 blockers might be one of many factors that contribute to dementia. But he warns against jumping to the conclusion that these drugs are, all by themselves, a major cause of cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease.
"Medicines like this, and many other types of medicine, can contribute to cognitive impairment. So can that cocktail you have tonight," he says. "But that doesn't mean cocktails cause Alzheimer's disease."
Duffy joins Boustani in warning that nobody should take any medication frequently -- even over-the-counter medicines -- without consulting a doctor.
The Boustani study appears in the August issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.